Steam-generator



F. M. BROWN.

STEAM GENERATOR.

Patented Sept. 19,` 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICEe FREDERICK MONTROSE BROWN, OF WARREN, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALE TO JOSEPH A. HARRIS, OE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming `part or Letters Patent No. 264,819, dated september 1e, 1882.

Application tiled November 16, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK MONTROSE BROWN, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Warren, in thescounty of Bristol and 5 State of Rhode Island, in the United States of America', have invented anew and useful Improvement in Steam Boilers and Generators, of which the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings making a part .Io of the same, is a full, clear, and exact description thereof. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in .and a means for materially altering the construction of steam boilers and generators by distributing the heat into and through the Water without radiating it in the usual manner through the outside iron plate, but imparting it directly to the water by means of an apparatnsconstructed within the boiler for generating heat, exploding in a suitably-constructed vessel or reservoir placed inside the boilercertain compounds resulting from the mixture of y light or liquid hydrocarbons with atmospheric air, or employing any composition of explosive mixture, or suitable compounds possess ing the constituents of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in proper and suitable proportions, to furnish, when ignited or exploded, the required heat for generating steam, thereby effecting a great saving of fuel, insuring greater safety, much reducing the space and size of the boiler, effecting a saving ot' labor and expense in care and attention of the same, and greatly increasing the efficiency of steam, the samebeing dey signed for use with motors.

The novelty is here shown ina simple form of boiler'or iron structure ot' suitable dimensions, in which is placed a suitably-constructed vessel or reservoir proportioned to the size of the boiler or structure, and the required consumption of the steam or gas produced, and

into which is injected by suitable and convenv ient means proper and suitable compounds or explosive agents, which, upon being so introduced into the reservoir, are caused to be exploded within the same by means of an electric current suitably arranged; or the compound l may be of such a nature as to produce a spoutaneous combustion within the reservoir when injected without the ,aid of an electric current, 5o these operating in connection with pipes and valves so as to practically combine boiler and heater and impart additional properties to the steam.

1n the drawings I have represented an ordi- 5 5 Ilary upright boiler as being the more simple formof showing the principle; but any other i'orm ot' steam-boiler may be arranged to exhibit my invention. To adapt and construct the same would require changes of arrange- 6o ment which any competent constructer would understand, but would 4not involve any change of principle. I however also show theimprovement in a tubular boiler, where the tubes will always serve the purpose of absorbing or rctaining and conducting a `portion of the heat developed, the remainder being imparted through the valves either'to the steam or the Water at such times and insuchquantities to either as may be desired, in the first instance 7c superheating the steam and imparting to it greater expansive force, and in the other imparting an additional vheat directly to the water, when desired.

Referring to Figure l, A represents the boiler or structure.

S is the vessel or reservoir located. at a safe and convenientplace within the boiler, strongly constructed, and secured to it by bolts or suithereinafter described.

B is a nozzle or induction pipe, which passes through thelside ofthe boiler and intothe reservoir S, being firmly secured to them both, and is provided with two suitable channels or 8 5 inlets, r and n, the former admitting to theI reservoir by a pump or suitable means a propel' quantity ot' atmospheric air, and the latter by suitable or convenient means is connected with a pump or suitable appliance for supplying, 9o through said inlet u, to said reservoir a suddcient and proper quantity of petroleum or other composition of explosive mixture designed to be employed, or to combine with a sufficient able fastenings, and having theconnections 8o and proper quantity or volume of air in said vessel or reservoir S.

The lineo o o represents the electric current or wires by means ot' which the charge or successive charges of explosive compound may be red within the reservoir. A

The capacity ot' the two inlets i and n may be regulated or controlled by means ot' screwvalves'at x, in addition to otherpmeans provided for admitting at the proper time or times to the reservoir the proper relative quantities of said compound and air for explosion therein.

I may here say that in general the proper proportions have been found to be twelve parts air, by volume, to one of carbureted hydrogen, or eight parts, by volume, of air to one of common coal-gas; but other chemical means may be employed to produce a compound which upon ignition will be followed by a complete combustion. Differences in the chemical constituents ofthe gas or compound employed will Aprobably require variations in supplying the necessary proportions oi' atmospheric air; or the compound may be of such a nature as to explode spontaneously when injected. The total heat of the explosion produced could be calculated theoretically front the composition of the explosive mixture employed by t-he aid of established data obtained from scientific experimeiits or according to well-known formulas. The expansive force of the steam or gases produced by this method will not depend upon the size of the reservoir in which the explosion takes place; but the degree and number of explosionsproduced per minute would regulate or be a measure of the heat, and consequentlyof the power of the generated product. Necessaril y small explosion-reservoirs would be used. The pumps by which the air and compound are inducted may be operated by. any suitable means and controlled by hand at any convenient point.

h and i, Fig. 1, are two ed notion-valves, suitably constructed and arranged to open when .the heat or pressure from any cause exceeds the prescribed limit, the former allowing the product of combustion to enter and mix with the steam above the water-line p, thereby greatly increasing its properties of expansion and pressure, and the latter allowing the products of combustion to pass into the heated water in the boiler. Each of the valves is provided with jointed connecting-rods 7c and l. They are supported or held firmly in position by suitable means, and may cach have suitable appliances, if required, to cause them to close.

To provide for the proper ignition of the explosive mixture within the reservoir, the electric wireso'o may be passed from a convenient battery through small apertures or suitable passages in the induction-pipe B to a snitable or convenient point of explosion within the boiler, and so arranged as to tire the charges inducted inv rapid succession, thus supplying a constant combustion in the reservoir S.

m m m are hand-holes for gaining access to the valves.

C and D are pipes connecting reservoir and valves.

L is the steampipe.

Fig. 2 shows the apparatus in a tubular boiler arranged so as to radiate any portion of the heat into and through the tubes by means of the valve L.

Similar letters in the drawings are intended to refer to similar parts.

c and d, Fig. 2, are induction-valves (provided with suitable connecting-rods and kept firmly in position by suitable means) for admitting any desired quantity of the heated air or gas in the chamber Gto pass down into the steam for the purpose of superheating the same. Screens or iron plates with holes may be arranged to surround each valve shown in the drawings.

y is a safety-valve.

Fig. 3 represents a section of nozzle B, showing inlets a and r and the aperture for admitting the electric current o 0. a vieyv ot' the top tube-sheet, showing the position of the valves c d.

I do not confine myself to the construction or arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus as here described and shown, for the improvements which constitute my invention can be applied toany form ory style of boiler; but I desire to include any apparatus or boiler which employs a vessel or reservoir within it to contain explosive compounds to generate and develop combustion within the same by explosion or a succession of explosions, radiating heat into and through the Water, thus practically combining heat-generator and boiler and imparting additional properties ot' expansion and force to the steam so generated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The within-described apparatus or organisms in combination, consisting ot' a boiler or vessel, A, for containing water, a reservoir, S, within said boiler for receivingair and explosive compounds in proper proportions for explosion therein, educt-ion-valves h and i, and the induction pipe or nozzle B, passing through the side ot' the boiler and into said reservoir,

provided with inlets for supplying air and explosive compounds, and arranged to admit an electric current for iguiting the charges within said reservoir, all operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a tubular steam-boiler, the arrangement for exploding igneous compounds within the same, and using products of combustion, consisting of reservoir S, nozzle B, chamber G, and valves 7L, t', c, and d, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The improvement in the art ot' generating Fig. 4 represents IOO IOS

IIO

reo

steam by the use of inammable compounds have hereunto set my hand and seal this 7th introduced and exploded Within a' reservoir day of November, A. D. 1881. contained in a steam-boiler for producing heat,

and also consisting of mixing the gases or pro- FREDERICK MUNTROSE BROWN. [n s] ducts of combustion from said reservoir with the Water in said boiler and the steam gener- Witnesses:

ated therefrom, as herein described. ISABEL F. HARRIS,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I S. G. BROWN. 

